Ezekiel 45:1–25 Our Portion as Priests

[Study Aired January 27, 2025]

INTRODUCTION

This study today continues with the vision that Ezekiel saw which deals with the Lord’s instruction to the people of Israel to set apart, part of the land of their inheritance when they return from captivity, as a present to the Lord. This portion of land would be designated as holy district and the priests that attend to the services of the temple shall be beneficiaries of part of this holy land.

The Lord also commanded the princes to show justice. The rest of the chapter deals with the sacrifices the princes were to offer and the princes’ part of these oblations especially in the beginning of the year, the Passover and the feast of tabernacles.

The Inheritance of the Saints

Eze 45:1  Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about. 

On one hand, we must understand that the land that the Lord had promised to the people of Israel represents our bodies. On the other hand, the land signifies our inheritance as the Lord’s elect. Our inheritance, as revealed by the Lord, refers to our reign over the kingdoms of this world and our role as judges in the lake of fire that will usher in the salvation of the whole of the human race. Since we are talking about inheritance here in these verses above, the focus is therefore on the joy that is set before us which is our inheritance as we overcome.

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In verse 1, we are told that our inheritance is by lot. This implies that it is the Lord who has predetermined those who qualify to obtain an inheritance. As we are aware, the Lord has selected His overcomers even before the foundations of this world.

Jos 14:2  By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. 

In modern times, this is what Proverbs 16:33 means: we may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. It implies that it is the Lord who has chosen us in Him before the foundations of the world to possess an inheritance.

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

In verse 1, we are also told that when the people of Israel allot the land as an inheritance, they shall set apart for the LORD a portion of the land as a holy district. We know from the word of the Lord that we are His portion. Therefore, what is being said about the Lord’s portion being the holy district is referring to us, His elect.

Deu 32:9  But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.

The measurement of the land designated as the Lord portion of 25,000 by 20,000 cubits is let us know that our inheritance entails being given to rule over the nations. The number 25,000 consists of the following: 25x10x10x10. The number 25 means the beginning of our rulership and the fact that there are three tens signifies that our rulership is based on being brought to spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgement after our sins have reached their fulness. The number 10,000 is 10x10x10x10. The fact that there are four tens is to let us know that it is the whole of the Lord’s elect whose sins have reached their fulness because of their flesh. All of these measurements are to make us aware that if we are to overcome to receive an inheritance, then we must go through the Lord’s judgement because of our sins.

2Ki 14:2  He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2Ki 18:2  Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

2Ki 23:36  Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

As indicated, the Lord’s portion is the Lord’s elect. Therefore, the fact that the Lord’s portion of the land must be holy means that we should be holy, that is, we must be separated for the Lord’s purpose, even as the Lord is holy.

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

Eze 45:2  Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof. 
Eze 45:3  And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. 

The measurement of the sanctuary was five hundred cubits in length and five hundred cubits in width. The number five hundred consists of the following: 500=5x10x10. Five signifies grace through faith and the fact that there are two tens suggest that we are witnesses of the fact that our sins, because of our flesh, has reached its fulness or the heavens. The measurement of five hundred cubits in both length and breadth is to tell us that obtaining an inheritance is dependent on grace through faith. It is this grace which chastens us when we bear witness to the fact that the sins of our flesh have reached the heavens.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 

Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

The sanctuary being a square is to tell us that regardless of our experience or background, we all go through the same experience of receiving grace through faith when our sins have reached the heavens.

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

The measurement of fifty cubits roundabout of the open area is to show us the liberty we have in Christ when we are privileged to go through His judgement.

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

In verse 3, we are reminded that the measurement of twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width is of the Lord’s portion which is the sanctuary and the most holy place. As shown earlier, we are the Lord’s portion here in this life.

Deu 32:9  But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. 

The twenty-five thousand and ten thousand cubits means that it is the whole of the Lord’s elect whose sins have reached their fulness because of their flesh and therefore are being judged as a prerequisite to reigning with Christ.

Eze 45:4  The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary. 

We, the Lord’s elect, are the priests that minister in the Lord’s sanctuary and represent the holy portion of the land. That is to say that it is in us that the Lord has His habitation. Our hearts and minds are the most holy place that the Lord sits on His throne. The fact that the sanctuary shall be our home indicates that our inheritance or possession is Christ. That is to say that Christ’s inheritance is our inheritance. This assures us of our reign with Christ over the kingdoms of this world and as saviors of the whole of humanity through the lake of fire.

Psa 16:5  The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 
Psa 16:6  The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Eze 45:5  And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers. 
Eze 45:6  And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel. 

An area of twenty five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand cubits in width will belong to the Levites who serve in the temple. It will be given to them so that they have cities to dwell in for a possession. We can see that the measurement of the area designated for the Levites is the same as that for the Lord’s elect. To understand verse 5 therefore, we need to look at the negative application of the number twenty five thousand. The number twenty five thousand in a negative sense signifies those who have fallen away as a result of deception through false doctrines.

Jdg 20:35  And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

Jdg 20:46  So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

The number ten thousand here in verse 5 symbolizes those depicting the fulness of the flesh who shall be judged in the fulness of time. We can see that the reward or inheritance of the Levites is that they shall dwell in cities. A city represents a church and in this verse, we are dealing with the negative context of cities, which means the physical churches of this world or Babylon.

Verse 6 is telling us that the people of Israel will be given an area of the city measuring 5,000 cubits broad and 25,000 cubits long. Here the people of Israel signify the people of the world. The fact that the area demarcated for them is 25,000 cubits means that they too have fallen into the deception of the enemy through false doctrines of worshipping the created instead of the creator. The 5,000 suggests that it is by grace through faith that they shall be saved through judgement when their sins have reached their fulness because of their flesh.

The Portion for the Prince

Eze 45:7  And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border. 
Eze 45:8  In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes. 

Verse 7 depicts the portion of the inheritance that the Lord has assured the princes of Israel of. It is the land that extends from the western border to that of the eastern border. In the scriptures, the extent of the east from the west has been used to signify the Lord’s elect as overcomers with Christ. The following verses bear witness:

Mat 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Isa 43:5  Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

Zec 8:7  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Isa 59:19  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun (east). When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

Thus, here in verse 7, the Lord is showing us, His princes, that in this life, our portion is that we shall be overcomers even as He overcame to receive the joy that was set before Him. Our portion as overcomers means reigning with Him and also becoming saviors of the whole of the human race.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

In verse 8, this theme of becoming overcomers in this life continues, as we shall possess the land in Israel. Possessing the land in Israel means possessing our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord. It is insightful to note that in verse 8, we are told that we shall give the rest of the land to the house of Israel. This implies that we shall teach the rest of humanity, represented by the house of Israel, to also possess their bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord. This will take place in the lake of fire in an age to come. In bringing the rest of humanity to salvation, we shall not oppress them, as indicated in verse 8.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Eze 45:9  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 45:10  Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath. 
Eze 45:11  The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer. 
Eze 45:12  And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh. 

Here in these verses we are being shown our sins as the Lord’s elect and the need for us to conform to the Lord’s standards. In verse 9, the Lord is telling us that He’s had enough of us, as His elect. We should stop violence and looting of the Lord’s people and do what is fair and right. This is reminding us of our time in Babylon or the physical churches of this world, when we had the form of godliness but denied the power of the Lord to transform us into His image. Like David said, we were in a miry clay before the Lord came to us with the spirit of His mouth and His judgement to deliver us from our captivity to the flesh and to establish us on the rock, which is Christ.

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Psa 40:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 
Psa 40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

In verse 10, we are commanded by the Lord to have just balances, a just ephah and a just bath. The balances refers to a pair of scales for weighing, the ephah was a measure for grain, and the bath was a measure for liquids. All of these forms of measurement were used principally for food and precious minerals such as gold and silver which all signify the word of the Lord. The fact that we were using false forms of measurement spiritually indicates that we were not given to test the spirits to see if they are of God. Our skewed or distorted way of measurement means that we were genuinely deceived during our time in Babylon.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 
1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The fact that we should have one measure for the ephah and the bath in verse 11 is to tell us that if we are to test the spirits properly, we should have the same mind of Christ and the same judgement.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

The maneh in verse 12 refers to a fixed weight in reference to the measurement of shekels. The fixed weights were twenty gerah, twenty shekels, twenty five shekels and fifteen shekels. The twenty gerah or shekels signifies our readiness to wage war with the flesh as we are able to test the spirit to see if it is of God. The twenty five shekels symbolize our readiness to reign over the flesh. The number fifteen signifies being assured of the Lord’s deliverance from Babylon. Therefore, measuring correctly fifteen shekels signifies coming to see the Lord’s promise of deliverance from Babylon.

Isa 38:5  Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 
Isa 38:6  And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

Hos 3:2  So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
Hos 3:3  And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. 
Hos 3:4  For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
Hos 3:5  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. 

Making an Offering to the Lord

Eze 45:13  This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley: 
Eze 45:14  Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer: 
Eze 45:15  And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 45:16  All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.
Eze 45:17  And it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.  

In these verses, the people of Israel are required to make an offering to the Lord. We must understand that the people of Israel in this case represent Babylon or the physical churches of this world. The offering here is in regard to wheat, barley, oil and a lamb and are not according to the law of Moses. For example, regarding the wheat and barley, they are to offer a one-sixtieth part and for the olive oil, they are to offer one percent using the standard measure. What these mean is that all the work that is done in Babylon in terms of the resources available to help one understand the word of the Lord is for our sake so that we can offer a better sacrifice to the Lord with our offerings.

As shown in these verses, although the work done by our brothers and sisters in Babylon does not make us see the truth, they help us to understand what the Lord is saying to us. This is to show us that unless the Lord opens our eyes to see and our ears to hears, there is no way of coming to know the truth. It is when we are given to know the mysteries of the kingdom that we get more insight from the work of our brothers and sisters in Babylon.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

It is worth noting in verse 15 that one lamb out of every two hundred sheep is taken from the choicest sheep being fed, out of the fat pastures of Israel. This lamb here signifies the Lord’s elect. We are the ones that are feeding on the fat pastures of Israel that are offered to the Lord to make reconciliation for the people of Israel in the fulness of time. This indicates our role as saviors as we shall reconcile the lost sheep of the house of Israel to the Lord.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

In verse 16, we are told specifically that all of these offerings must be made to the prince of Israel, who represents our Lord Jesus Christ. However, if we are to understand these verses, then we are to note that the prince here represents Christ and can also represents us, His elect. What we are therefore being told is that all the work that our brothers and sisters in Babylon do is for our sake. That is, to help us offer the required sacrifice to the Lord at His appointed feasts, as shown in verse 17. Again, in verse 17, we are assured of our reconciliation role to bring the house of Israel through our offerings to the Lord.

Eze 45:18  Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary: 

The young bullock offered on the first day of the first month is our Lord Jesus Christ who was without sin and offered Himself for our sins. The bullock being young signifies the Lord offering Himself at a tender age of 33 for our sins.

Heb 10:8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Heb 10:9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Heb 10:10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Heb 10:13  From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14  For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.

Eze 45:19  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court. 
Eze 45:20  And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house. 

It is Christ, who as a priest, offered His own blood to cleanse us. The fact that the cleansing of the temple together with the vessels of the ministry shall be carried out on the seventh day for everyone that errs is to remind that the blood of Jesus cleanses us not only for the sins we commit today, but the complete period of our lives here on earth.

Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

The Seven Day Feast

Eze 45:21  In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 

The first of the month here represents the beginning of our deliverance by the Lord from our bondage to sin. The number fourteen signifies our spiritual progression. Therefore, having a feast of seven days where we eat unleavened bread starting from the fourteenth day of the month means that our spiritual progression in Christ is dependent on us feasting on the truth of His word (unleavened bread) throughout the complete period of our walk with Him (significance of the number seven).

Eze 45:22  And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering. 
Eze 45:23  And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.

The prince here is Christ and it is the Lord who prepared Himself to be our sin offering. The prince offering to the Lord over the seven day period of the feast seven bullocks, seven rams without blemish and a kid of the goat daily for a sin offering indicates that the Lord’s offering of Himself as a sin offering is complete in the sense that it cleanses us of the sins we commit on daily basis throughout the complete period of our walk with Him in this life.

Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Eze 45:24  And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah. 
Eze 45:25  In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil. 

An ephah is a dry measurement for volume and it is usually used for the measurement of flour, barley and roasted grain. A feast in the Bible is a time of eating and drinking as shown in the following verses:

Gen 19:3  And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

Gen 26:30  And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

It is insightful to note that the study is based on the return of the Israelites from their captivity. Our walk with Christ in this life after our deliverance from Babylonian captivity is described as a feast of seven days where we feed on the truth of the word of the Lord.

The bullock or the ram represents Christ or His word. In verse 24 therefore, the Lord preparing a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock and that of a ram indicates the Lord feeding us with His words in this feast of the Lord. As we are aware, oil indicates the spirit. The hin of oil for an ephah as part of the meat offering is to let us know that the Lord is granting us the grace to understand the spiritual significance of His words. The fact that all the bullock, the ram and the oil are measured using an ephah means that the revelation of the Lord is a process. That is to say that our understanding of the truth of the word of the Lord is step by step. 

Psa 23:5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 

The seventh month in verse 25 symbolizes the complete period of our walk after leaving Babylon. As shown earlier, the number fifteen signifies being assured of the Lord’s deliverance from Babylon such that we shall not go back during this complete period of our walk with Him in this life. The recurrence of the sin offering, the burnt offering and the meat offering and that of the oil is to let us know that the provision of the Lord during this period of our lives here on earth will not fail, for His provisions are renewed every morning.

Lam 3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 
Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 
Lam 3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

May His name be praised for His wonderful work of salvation towards us, His beloved. Amen!!

Act 16:22-40  Sirs, What Must I do to be Saved?

[Study Aired June 4, 2023]

Act 16:22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
Act 16:23  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Act 16:24  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Act 16:25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Act 16:26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Act 16:27  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
Act 16:28  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Act 16:29  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Act 16:30  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Act 16:32  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Act 16:33  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Act 16:34  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Act 16:35  And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
Act 16:36  And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
Act 16:37  But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
Act 16:38  And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
Act 16:39  And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
Act 16:40  And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Our last study ended with Paul casting a spirit of divination out of a young woman who “brought her masters much gain by soothsaying”:

Act 16:16  And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Act 16:17  The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

Notice that the author says, “The same follow us”, including himself among Paul’s entourage. This is one of several times Luke lets us know that he was traveling with Paul as Paul also lets us know when informing Timothy of the apostasy that was already under way when so many of his faith “fellow servants” were “forsaking” him while Luke remained faithful to the apostle:

2Ti 4:9  Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
2Ti 4:10  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
2Ti 4:11  Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

It is argued by many that Crescens and Titus were sent by Paul to Galatian and Dalmatia respectively, but if that were true, why didn’t Paul simply say so as he specifically says of Tychicus in the very next verse:

2Ti 4:12  And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

Crescens and Titus are lumped in with Demas who he explicitly tells us “hath forsaken me”. Paul does not tell us, ‘Crescens have I sent to Galatia, Titus have I sent to Dalmatia, and Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus’. These three formerly faithful men were once considered “fellowlabourers” of the gospel and they have now been given of the God who is working all things after the counsel of His own will, to forsake the Lord’s apostle for a more comfortable life in “this present world”.

Notice how Paul referred to Demas in earlier epistles:

Col 4:14  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

Phm 1:24  Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

Experiences such as this event where Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed in Philippi were no doubt a part of the reason that Demas, Crescens, and Titus all preferred the comforts of “this present world” to the cross of Christ.

Paul no doubt agreed with what this young lady was saying, but this verse of scripture reveals that her motives and her actions were not commendable:

Pro 27:14  He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

Gratitude towards those who “labor in the Word” is proper and commendable. However, our focus should always be on Christ Himself and not on His messengers:

1Ti 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

The apostle Paul tolerated this young lady’s feigned adulation “many days” until he was given to discern the spirit he was dealing with. At that point he spoke directly to the evil spirit and commanded it to come out of the woman:

Act 16:18  And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

It truly does “grieve any humble person to be praised every day before everyone. Especially when it is coming from the same person. The fact that we are told that Paul tolerated this feigned adulation “many days” sets us the example that we should not be hasty to condemn anyone. The young lady’s words were true, but it became obvious with time that her motive was self-aggrandizement and self-service, rather than serving the Lord and serving the Lord’s servants.

Act 16:19  And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
Act 16:20  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
Act 16:21  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

Paul and Silas were ‘drawn’ into the marketplace to the rulers in the same way the spirit draws us to Christ. They were dragged there against their own will by a mob of angry Roman citizens.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Greek word for ‘drew’ here in Acts 16:19, and for the word ‘draw’ in John 6:44 is the same:

G1670
ἑλκύω, ἕλκω
helkuō    helkō
hel-koo’-o, hel’-ko

Probably akin to G138; to drag (literally or figuratively): – draw. Compare G1667.

Paul and Silas did not just willingly volunteer to go before the magistrates to be falsely accused and publicly beaten. They were being dragged by a mob of very angry Romans.

Christ has promised that if we remain true to His words, “Ye shall be hated of all men.” Now Paul is not only being withstood by “they of the circumcision”, signifying the established church of his day, but now he and Silas are also being persecuted by the Romans, signifying the society of that day, for teaching things which are also contrary to Roman customs. If we are serious about following Christ, then our life and our principles will inevitably offend both the religious and the secular of this present society:

Act 16:22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

Compared to the laws of Rome, the law of Moses was very merciful, as the beating endured by our Lord at the hands of the Romans demonstrated. The law of Moses did not permit beating one to death. Beatings were restricted to “forty stipes”:

Deu 25:2  And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.
Deu 25:3  Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

The Jews self-righteously decided that “forty stipes” were one too many and decreed that the judges were to administer no more than “forty stipes save one.” Paul tells us that he was both beaten “in stripes above measure” and “of the Jews five times [he] received… forty stripes save one.” Here we are told that these Roman magistrates beat the apostle and Silas “with many stripes”, the very words used in Deuteronomy 25:3 to contrast with “forty stripes.” Since these Philippian rulers are Romans, it is very likely that the stripes they administered upon Paul and Silas were indeed “above measure.” Notice how Paul separates the beatings “of the Jews” from “stripes above measure”:

2Co 11:23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

From a carnal perspective it is understandable why Demas, Crescens, and Titus all forsook the apostle and all this persecution and hardship for the love of “this present world” instead. The spiritual kingdom of God is as much a thing of the future as was Esau’s birthright, and the sufferings and persecutions for the gospel’s sake are just as present an experience as was Esau’s hunger when he sold Jacob his birthright for a cup of pottage (Gen 25:29-34)

The fact that Paul gives us the number of times He was beaten of the Jews as “five times” is a witness to the work of “grace through faith” which is at work in the lives of “every son whom [the Father] receives”:

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Act 16:23  And when they had laid many stripes [Deu 25:3] upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Act 16:24  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

As always, whether with Joseph being cast into the prison in Egypt, the three Hebrew children being cast into the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar, or Daniel being cast into the lion’s den by Darius, the Lord is the one who is working all these disasters for the very purpose of demonstrating His power to deliver and comfort His elect who truly place their trust in Him and do not “faint in the day of adversity”:

Pro 24:10  If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

The strength of Demas, Crescens, and Titus was apparently small, as is the strength of all men who do not give themselves over to Christ and depend upon His strength in their lives.

Act 16:25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Act 16:26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Act 16:27  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
Act 16:28  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Paul was used by the Lord to literally save this jailer’s physical life, and then to introduce him to life eternal through knowledge of Christ and His Father:

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Act 16:29  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Act 16:30  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Act 16:32  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Act 16:33  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

As anyone who has been given the mind of Christ would want, as this jailer wanted, this jailer wanted to express his gratitude for the blessing of life he has received through the agency of these two men.

There was far more than a mere ten-second ‘sinner’s prayer’ involved in this conversion. This conversion included Paul and Silas praying and singing praises to God at midnight despite their restrictions. It included a great earthquake that was so strong that all the bands binding all the prisoners were broken, and yet, miraculously no one had broken out of the prison.

Act 16:34  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

The Lord gave this jailer the ability to discern that Paul and Silas were men of God who were being unjustly persecuted and that their prayers and songs of praise to God at midnight were connected to the miraculous earthquake and the miracle of keeping all the prisoners in the prison even after their bonds were broken off.

This Philippian jailer was no doubt even more convinced when the morning came, and the magistrates sent word to “Let those men go”:

Act 16:35  And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
Act 16:36  And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
Act 16:37  But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

What Paul did in forcing the authorities to come and ask them to leave is written for our admonition to teach us that there is a time to speak up and witness against the evil we endure, and not always simply ‘resist not evil [and] turn to him the other… cheek”. Appealing to the law of the land is in complete accord with the Lord’s admonition to ‘flee to another city’ when being persecuted. Witnessing to these magistrates of their own lawlessness is not to be conflated with Christ’s commandment that we are not to resist evil when we cannot flee to another city or appeal to Caesar.

Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Act 25:11  For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

Act 28:19  But when the Jews spake against it [Being released by the Romans], I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

Paul had done the same thing when he was smitten for no reason while beginning to defend himself before the Sanhedrin after the Jews apprehended him in Jerusalem:

Act 23:1  And Paul, earnestly beholding the council [Greek: ‘Sanhedrin’], said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
Act 23:2  And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
Act 23:3  Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
Act 23:4  And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?
Act 23:5  Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people [Even when they are having us smitten “contrary to the law”].

Paul’s nephew overheard “above forty men” conspiring to murder Paul, and when the nephew told Paul about this conspiracy, Paul called on “the powers that be” (Rom 13:1) to save his own life (Act 23:12-22). While it is true that Christ said nothing in His own defense at the time of His crucifixion, He did so because He knew His ‘time had come’ for Him to be offered up. Until that moment He had defended everything He had done every time it upset His enemies. Christ defended His actions of eating wheat while passing through the fields on the sabbath day, and He also defended His right to heal on the sabbath day (Mat 12:1-8, Mat 12:9-14, Luk 14:1-6).

It was for their own good that Paul insisted the rulers of the city of Philippi should themselves come and bring him and Silas forth out of the city. Paul and Silas were both free Roman citizens, and the rulers of Philippi had beaten them both illegally and could have been taken before the courts. Paul did not prosecute or retaliate against his persecutors, but he knew these rulers needed to learn a lesson, and he used this opportunity to do so for their own good.

Act 16:38  And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
Act 16:39  And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
Act 16:40  And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

In departing the city, Paul was not forsaking the church at Philippi. He was temporarily leaving, and in doing so, He was accommodating both the rulers of the city and the words of Christ:

Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Avoiding evil should never be conflated with resisting evil:

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

It is a wise thing to hide ourselves from evil if possible. This is such an important Truth that it is twice repeated in the book of Proverbs:

Pro 22:3  A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Pro 27:12  A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

When we are in a position such as Paul and Silas, to give instruction or teach a lesson even to people of this world, then we ought to do so and not just let it slide telling ourselves that we are obeying the Lord by turning the other cheek. Neither Paul nor Silas fought back while being beaten, but it was for their own good that Paul told these magistrates:

Act 16:37  But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

These hypocritical Roman leaders of Philippi had beaten and imprisoned Paul and Silas publicly, and for their own education and edification they needed to come personally and lead Paul and Silas out of that prison publicly. There is a time to tell the leaders of this world that they are acting unlawfully. Christ Himself had more to say to the Roman, Pilate, than He had to say to those who had condemned Him:

Joh 19:10  Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Joh 19:11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
Joh 19:12  And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

Pilate knew Jesus was a threat to no one, but he was intimidated with the threat of being accused of favoring Christ as a king over Caesar and he caved to the threats of the mob. Christ did not cave to the mob and neither did Paul nor Silas. They stood up to the mob and were rewarded for doing so:

Pro 16:7  When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.